Philonthus thoracicus (Gravenhorst, 1802)

Webster, Reginald P., Smetana, Ales, Sweeney, Jon D. & DeMerchant, Ian, 2012, New Staphylinidae (Coleoptera) records with new collection data from New Brunswick and an addition to the fauna of Quebec: Staphylininae, ZooKeys 186, pp. 293-348 : 327-328

Philonthus thoracicus (Gravenhorst, 1802) Map 54

Material examined.

Additional New Brunswick records. Carleton Co., Becaguimec Island, 46.3106°N, 67.5392°W, 16.IX.2006, R. Capozi & R. Webster, hardwood forest (on island in Saint John River), on Pleurotus sp. on log (1 ♂, RWC). Queens Co., W of Jemseg at "Trout Creek", 45.8231°N, 66.1245°W, 3.IV.2006, R. P. Webster, silver maple swamp, sifting litter from crotch silver maple with multiple trunks (1 ♀, RWC). Sunbury Co., Lakeville Corner, 45.9008°N, 66.2414°W, 12.VII.2006, R. P. Webster, silver maple swamp on ridge with red oak and red maple, in litter at base of tree (1 ♀, RWC). York Co. Fredericton, Nashwaaksis River at Rt. 105, 45.9850°N, 66.6900°W, R. P. Webster, in flood debris on upper river margin (1 ♂, 1 ♀, RWC).

Collection and habitat data.

This species has been found in open, often dry habitats with sandy substrates (open pine forests) and in moist to wet habitats near water, such as sandy creek, river, and pond margins ( Smetana 1995). Adults occurred in leaf litter and debris. Specimens were also found in entrances of Marmota burrows ( Smetana 1995). In New Brunswick, this species was found in silver maple floodplain forests, a hardwood forest on an island in a large river, and on an upper river margin. Adults were collected from leaf litter from a crotch of a silver maple with multiple trunks, litter at the base of a tree, in flood debris, and from Pleurotus mushrooms on a log.

Distribution in Canada and Alaska.

AB, SK, MB, ON, QC, NB ( Smetana 1995). Philonthus thoracicus was previously known from New Brunswick from one specimen collected by G.A. Calderwood in the Kouchibouguac National Park ( Smetana 1995). It is apparent from the above records that this species is more widely distributed in the Maritime provinces than was suggested by the distributional gaps shown in Majka et al. (2009). Floodplain forests should be sampled for this species in Nova Scotia.

Figures

Map 54. Collection localities in New Brunswick, Canada of Philonthus thoracicus.